AI fake books controversy at Periyar library: Chief Minister orders investigation
November 13 update: 257 English-language books removed
A further 257 English-language books bearing the name Vintage Press Limited were removed from Coimbatore's Periyar library on November 13 after research students questioned their authenticity and procurement. Removal pending scrutiny is not a finding that every book was fabricated or that a particular person committed an offence.
Research students Premkumar and Satheeshkumar said they found 257 titles on the fifth floor, some marked as first editions in 2025 or 2026. They questioned prices of about Rs9,000-Rs9,900 for roughly 300-page books and said searches in Indian ISBN records and WorldCat did not produce matching entries. Those are the students' reported checks, not independent catalogue searches conducted for this article.
For one tourism book, the students said they scanned the first 15 pages and obtained a 64% similarity/plagiarism-test result and a 70.7% AI-content indication. These figures concern a limited sample and software outputs. They do not prove that the entire book, all 257 titles or their listed authors were generated by AI. AI-detection scores alone are not conclusive evidence of authorship.
They also raised questions about the publisher's website, contact details and a London address, including apparent clothing-sales material on the website and a lack of author information. These claims require verification. This article has not authenticated the address, established who operates that website or independently confirmed the origin of author photographs.
The newer account also corrects a broad early claim that the Tamil publishers Agal Vilakku and Phoenix did not exist or that their books had no ISBNs. Both names were linked to the same Madipakkam address, and ISBNs had been obtained for 2,393 books, including 1,800 supplied to libraries. That does not settle the separate questions about content quality, author identities, pricing or procurement.
The owner of those two Tamil publishing houses, Mohan, said he would contest the allegations legally, had sold books worth Rs1.7 million to the Periyar library and about Rs500,000 to other libraries, and had offered replacements. This updates the earlier passage below saying no publisher response was available. The DMK has denied the procurement allegations and alleged a political motive; the allegations remain under investigation.
Tamil Nadu's explanation describes 30 subject groups with 137 experts, followed by selection, procurement and higher-level approval stages. The students have called for examination of who recommended the disputed English titles and whether the groups had suitable tourism expertise. Minister Rajmohan said an internal audit of books across special and public libraries had been ordered. State information put removals at more than 26,000 books worth Rs9.1 million across several districts, including 523 from Connemara Library. These statewide figures are separate from the 257 English books at Periyar library.
Earlier reporting retained for context
The Periyar library built by the Tamil Nadu government at Gandhipuram in Coimbatore at a cost of about 3 billion rupees was opened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on October 16. Within days of the opening, an accusation that some books placed in the library were generated by artificial intelligence has sparked a major debate.
Writer Perumal Murugan alleged in a post that irregularities worth crores occurred in book procurement, that new publishing houses were started specifically to supply this library, and that large numbers of books created by AI under fake author names had been placed there.
He demanded that those involved be investigated and action taken, and that the books be removed immediately.
Minister Rajmohan has said the allegations will be investigated and strict action taken. While Chief Minister Vijay posted that the irregularity happened under the previous DMK administration, the DMK side denied it as deliberately spread misinformation.
A field study found that on two rows of shelves in the Tamil books section on the library's fourth floor, only books from a single publisher had been stacked; there were about 1,800 such books, Perumal Murugan said.
When the Chennai Madipakkam address printed as the publisher's address was inspected in person, there was no sign or nameplate of a publishing house there; it also emerged that another publisher was registered at the same address. Neighbours said book-handling activity had taken place there at times.
Although under fake author names, all the books were printed with hard covers; each was priced between 500 and 2,000 rupees.
Students engaged in research work there found, on comparison with other books, that the information in those books was unreliable material taken from websites. They voiced fear that students and researchers seeking knowledge would be misled.
The study also found near-identical names appearing with slight variations - Vijay Selvam, Sumekha Vijay, Vijay Balu, Vijay Adhithan, Jothilakshmi Anbazhagan, Nivetha Anbazhagan - raising suspicion they may be AI-generated names.
No official response has come so far from the controversial publisher; the Tamil literary world awaits the investigation's findings.
UPDATE: Education Minister Rajmohan has promised legal action against anyone found responsible for irregularities in library book procurement, whether politicians or officials. He says more than 500 allegedly fake books from one publisher were bought for Chennai's Connemara Library, while the number bought for the Periyar library exceeds 3,000. The publisher's owner is also to be questioned. Allegations include fabricated ISBN numbers, unreliable AI-written material and inflated purchase prices; these remain matters for investigation rather than established findings against all those involved.
